2022 Michael Blast Greaser Review

Video Review

Written Review

The Michael Blast Greaser redefines “cool.” This chopper-inspired electric bike only cares about one thing: Looking good and having fun. Ok that’s two things, but I think you get the point. Basically, you need a well-worn leather jacket, slicked back hair and a bad attitude before you even think about taking the Greaser out for a spin.

The Michael Blast Greaser has a starting price of $2,299 USD and comes in 6 different frame colors — black, orange, green, grey, yellow and red. And for the tank color you can choose from black, orange and grey. And of course you can choose between black and brown accents. Oh right, you can also customize the tires. And for that we have white walls, black walls, brown and cream. 

And last but not least you can also choose between a 350 watt motor with a 13.5 amp hour battery and a 500 watt motor with a 14.5 amp hour battery. All the aesthetic customization options are free, but if you want that bigger motor and battery, get ready to unload another $800 USD. 

Michael Blast is offering a 7-day money back guarantee with the Greaser, and also a delicious 1-year warranty. Nice.

We’re off to a good start here with the Greaser, but let’s see if this iconic ride lives up to it’s moniker.

In the rear wheel the Greaser has a Bafang 500 watt hub motor. If motors were bowls of porridge, 500 watts is the one that’s just right. Does that make me Goldilocks? Who cares. The point here is that with a 500 watt motor you get the best of both worlds. You get some of the efficiency that comes from the smaller 250 and 350 watt motors, and you get some of the power from the 750 and 1,000 watt motors. So, ya, good soup. 

This 500 watt motor brings the Michael Blast Greaser to a top speed of 20 mph, which you can reach using the thumb throttle or cadence sensing pedal assist, making this a Class 2 electric bike. Now look, I know what you’re thinking, “thumb throttle? And on the left side?” I get it. Coming from a moto background, I’m a twist-throttle on the right side kind of guy. But here’s the truth: After a few minutes of riding your brain kind of just rewires itself and it feels completely natural. 

If 20 mph isn’t fast enough for you, you can always unlock the Greaser’s full potential by entering the password into the display. I don’t know what that password is, but if you ask Michael Blast I’m sure they’ll tell you. So, go wild, you little speed demons.

The Greaser’s battery is either a 36 volt 13 amp hour or a 48 volt 14.5 amp hour depending on whether you get the 350 watt or 500 watt version, respectively. Michael Blast estimates the Greaser’s max range at nearly 50 miles, which, sure, you could probably get in the lowest pedal assist mode. Real world riding will whittle that down depending on a variety of factors like throttle use, pedal assist level, wind, road conditions, and payload to name a few. 

So, this battery is locking and removable, but it’s hidden inside the plastic tank covers and it does actually take a minute to remove the three screws, tank cover and then finally the battery itself. But hey, here’s the good news, I doubt anybody’s going to bother trying to steal your juice. 

With the battery mounted on the top tube, the Greaser is more top heavy than most e-bikes, but just like with the Michael Blast Outsider we recently reviewed, this actually translates into something positive. The Greaser is relatively light at just 62 pounds, so the increased center of gravity makes this electric bike ride much more like a motorcycle. It’s kind of like holding a fine watch in your hand. The heft feels good. 

You can really feel the added weight when you lean the Greaser over in the turns. Actually, the turns are one of the most fun parts of riding this bike. The stretched wheelbase makes it ludicrously stable and because the geometry puts you into a low, aggressive stance… the mechanics of it all is just… chef’s kiss. If we gave out “Most Fun To Ride E-bike of the Year” awards, we’d give 2022’s to the Greaser.

Ok but here’s the thing, there are some downsides to this frame. First and foremost, while that aggressive riding posture makes you look like Batman riding the Batcycle, it gets a tiring after a while. I know, I’m a weakling, and this means I do not pass the Greaser vibe check, but I’m just being real here. 

Second: We’re looking at solid front forks. That makes for a bumpy ride on rough roads. And while there is a spring saddle, which does help, it’s still jarring at times. 

Another thing to keep in mind is that the cranks are forward as well, so you lose some pedal efficiency… not like we’re planning on using this for the Tour de France, but still. 

The reality is though, the Greaser is all about the looks. And if looks could kill, the Greaser would. 

To switch gears we’ve got a Shimano Altus 7-speed derailleur paired with a nice set of trigger shifters. Groovy.

There’s a one-sided aluminum bash guard on the front chainring which will help protect the teeth in the event of a strike, and it’ll also help keep the chain from derailing towards the outside. And since we’re taking about the cranks, let’s take a minute to admire the tasteful branding there. Well done.

The Michael Blast Greaser’s hydraulic brakes offer plenty of stopping power, especially with a 180 mm rotor in the front wheel and 160 mm rotor in the rear wheel, but given just how absolutely twistedly cool this e-bike is, I feel like it would be awesome if it had quad piston calipers instead of dual-piston. That’s okay though, I’ll just console myself by applying more Palmade to my hair. That always seems to work pretty well.

The headlight on the Greaser is a thing of beauty. Truly. It’s bright, it looks great, and you can even use it to ride safely at night if you want to. There’s also an independent tail light on the Greaser and it appears to be motion activated. It also looks like there’s some solar cells in there so you it should recharge itself when you’re riding in the daylight. 

The handlebars are slightly swept back, but they retain that menacing chopper look. The grips are stitched faux leather and they look great as well. 

The color LCD display and thumb throttle are on the left side, and on the right side we’ve got the trigger shifters.

Overall, the Michael Blast Greaser is a lifestyle electric bike. You look at it and it makes you feel good. You ride it and it makes you feel great. Sure, there are more comfortable e-bikes out there. Yes, you could find something with a bigger battery or this and that component, but few electric bikes can compete with the cool-factor we find in the Greaser.